I love talking book covers!
One thing I’ve learned in my short experience as a published author is that SOOO much more goes into a book cover than a title and font and pretty picture. Publishers take all kinds of things into account! My publisher (Bethany House) has been so fun to work with on my two covers so far. They’ve allowed me input, asked me for character and setting and scene descriptions to give their artists ideas, and—especially fun—my editor, the awesome Raela Schoenherr, sent me photos she took with her phone during the photo shoot.
So for fun, today I thought I’d share a few of those photos…
Here to Stay takes place in the made up tourist town of Whisper Shore, Michigan. I came up with the town name early on as I was writing a line about the wind whispering over the shore…and bam, I had a town name. The town is cute and quirky and colorful. So the folks at Bethany House found a cool spot with old shops and a brick street along the St. Antony Main riverfront area in Minneapolis.
Such a cute area! And colorful too. True story: Raela told me the building pictured here had a water main break the day after the photo shoot! Crazy timing.
The female model portraying my character, Autumn Kingsley, is actually a sports reporter. She was previously an anchor for FOX Sports North in Minnesota, but at the time of the photo shoot, had just accepted a new job with FOX Sports 1, a new network in LA trying to compete with Sports Center.
I don’t know much about the male model, but whoever he is, I’m sure he’s cool. After all…he’s portraying BLAKE HUNZIKER! And look, I’m completely biased, but I happen to think Blake is pretty great. If you’ve read my first book, Made to Last, then you’ve already met Blake…
One major difference you’ll notice from these photos and the actual book cover is the color of Autumn’s hair. I describe her as auburn (and Blake nicknames her “Red” which I may or may not have stolen borrowed from one of my very favorite movies, The Philadelphia Story)…so the artist, the fabulous Jenny Parker from Bethany House, did some fancy photoshopping to change Autumn’s hair color for the cover.
That pose above is pretty close to the sweet pose that actually made it onto the cover of the book. It’s not often that I use words like “adorbs,” but come on, was it EVER more appropriate? Also, notice the scarf change…that’s actually my editor’s scarf.
I really want that model’s whole outfit, honestly.
And here’s a shot they did back at Bethany House. You just might see that photo on the back cover!
And of course, here’s the final product…again, I realize I’m completely biased, but I just love it soooo much.
Have you ever thought about all the extra stuff that goes into book covers? What have been some of your favorite covers recently?
p.s. I’m taking a mini-vacay for a few days, so I’ll be absent from the blog on Friday and Monday. But I’ll be back a week from today. See you then!
Comments 28
Thanks for this behind-the-scenes peek! I’ve often wondered about covers, especially in Christian fiction…whether the photo for the cover was taken specifically for the book or if they just used a stock photo and maybe tweaked the background with Photoshop or something to make it fit the story more. =) Now I know! (In the case of your lovely cover, at least.) But now that I think about it, I seem to remember reading in the acknowledgements of one of Deeanne Gist’s books that the model on the cover was her daughter, which is pretty neat. =)
I’m a sucker for a pretty book cover. One of my favorites that I’ve stumbled across lately is We, The Drowned, by Carsten Jensen. I don’t really know anything about the book itself, but goodness, that is a gorgeous cover. (And the design continues on to the spine, which is always a plus.)
Author
Ooh, I just looked up We, The Drowned. I like it! It’s such a cool mix of classic and modern. Amazing how a good cover can make you want to read the book even if you know nothing about it. Plus, that’s a pretty intriguing title, too.
I love seeing actual photos from the cover shoot. So fun to see how the designers take those and make something wonderful from them. That skill is soooo beyond me!
Author
Beyond me, too, Anne. Design is not my forte…I loved seeing the photos and then once I got to see the actual cover, it was amazing to me how it fit the story!
I already loved your cover and enjoyed hearing how it came about. Thanks for sharing. One day I hope I can talk about my cover!
Author
I hope you get to talk about your cover, too, Daphne. I’ll look forward to it. 🙂
What fun to get a behind-the-scenes look at your awesome cover. It think it’s cool that your editor’s scarf actually ended up in the final version.
Author
I think that’s cool, too!
Love this! And I love your cover. I never knew so much went into making a cover until last year. Bethany did a great job with matching your characters and the town.
Author
Yeah, they definitely did a good job. I remember with my first cover being blown away with how well Matthew on the cover matched Matthew in my head. That’s exactly how I felt when I saw the portrayal of the town on the Here to Stay cover.
I have loved this cover since the moment you first shared it! Course, I’m all about Fall, sweaters, scarves…boots…;)
Author
I know, the fall feel is perfect!! Ohhh fall is my favorite. 🙂
I loved your cover for MTL, but this one is my favorite!! It’s so colorful, and pretty, and…sigh. I love it!!
Author
I think it’s my favorite, too! Although Matthew on the cover of MTL will always have a special place in my heart. haha…but wait, we just talked about this in person the other day… 🙂
Melissa, this was such a blast to read through! Thank you bunches for sharing. I actually adore this cover, too. The colors are beautiful, the scene cozy and I love how “genuine” the look of everything is, plus what fun getting a behind-the-scenes peek at what it takes to put these together.
Raela is awesome about sharing sneak peeks on Twitter. 🙂
Author
Raela IS awesome! It was so fun to get those photos and get a bit of a sneak peek at what the cover might end up looking like. I really think they found the perfect place to take the photos. And yeah, the final product…so adorable!
Melissa, what a fun post! Thank you for sharing. Adorbs, indeed. . 😉
Author
Thanks, Heidi!
What a fun post, Melissa! When I get your book, I’m going to have to trek over to St. Anthony Main and take a picture with it. 🙂 It really is an adorable cover!
Author
Oh that would be so cool! Makes me want to drive up to MN and take a photo like that too. 🙂
Love this behind-the-scenes look at the cover photo shoot! The whole book process, from start to finish, amazes me!!! I love the cover of Here to Stay and can’t wait to see it in person! 🙂
Author
Can’t wait for you to see it, too! Ahhh, it’s starting to get out there in readers’ hands through NetGalley and an excerpt on Scribd…and the release date is so close. Exciting!!
Loved this!!! I always love getting to see the behind the scenes of covers so thank you for sharing yours! And I love the fact that you are using the nickname Red!!!!
Author
You know, I think I watched The Philadelphia Story when I was working on an early draft of Here to Stay, which is how the “Red” nickname made its way into the story. I hadn’t really planned it…but it felt so right. Besides, Blake is totally the kind of person who’d give a girl a nickname. Oh, Blake… 🙂
Thanks, Melissa!
SO interesting!! The cover is beautiful!!
Author
Yay, I’m glad you like it, Bonnie!
Oh, Melissa, what great shots! And the cover is gorgeous. It’s pretty amazing how much work goes into these covers. The last one of them together in front of Bethany House has my author mind inviting the models’ romance. 🙂
Author
Thanks, Sandra. I reeeeally love the cover and it was definitely fun getting a behind-the-scenes peek on the day of the photo shoot. And you last comment made me laugh–after my first book, I seriously started plotting a book where two covers models meet for a shoot and fall for each other. Haha!